Split
by citysinger13
Summary: One-shot. James deals with the struggles of his parents' divorce. For AkireAlev and winterschild11's angst challenge! Rated T for language


**Thanks, AkireAlev and winterschild11 for asking me to participate!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Big Time Rush or any of its characters.**

_Click click click click click_. James nervously clicked his pen repeatedly as Mrs. Feldman, his biology teacher, passed back the tests from last week. Only a few months into his first year of high school and he was already feeling overwhelmed. Carlos, sitting at the lab table with James, nudged him and gestured for him to stop.

James sighed deeply. "Sorry," he murmured, tossing the pen aside. Kendall raised an eyebrow at Carlos and they both shrugged at each other.

"Why are you so nervous?" Kendall asked in a hushed tone. "Logan helped you study all weekend before the test. You felt so great about it." Logan was not in their class, because he was a complete smarty pants who had signed up for pre-AP biology, leaving the other three in _normal _biology.

"I know, I know," James muttered. "I just…you know, if I screw this up, it'll be real bad, okay?"

"Well there's nothing you can do about it now," Carlos commented, balancing a pencil on his nose.

"Yeah…" James agreed. "It's just…I really want my dad to be proud of me."

"Your dad is always proud of you James!" Kendall insisted. "Don't you remember when we made the team? He was crazy excited!" James smiled at that, as did Carlos. The four best friends had been the only freshmen to make the varsity ice hockey team.

"Of course he was proud of me. He was on his high school hockey team too," James reminded them. "And guess what else? He was really great at biology and science and all that school stuff that I'm just not good at, so..."

"C'mon James," Kendall said in an encouraging voice. "Think positive."

A paper landed on their lab table. James immediately glanced at it, but was disappointed to see "Kendall Knight" written at the top.

"Kendall, you got a 97!" Carlos declared loudly, holding up a hand for a high five, which Kendall promptly gave. "Awesome job, man!"

"Yeah, great job Kendall," James said nervously, trying not to sound jealous.

"James, you're going to get a great grade," Kendall insisted as he slipped his test between the pages of his notebook.

Another paper on the table. This time it was for Carlos. "93!" Carlos exclaimed, earning another high five from Kendall.

Mrs. Feldman handed the next paper to James. "Good job, James," she told him with a smile. James felt his heart skip a beat and his eyes widened. He looked down at the paper to see…

"95!" he breathed excitedly. "I got an A!"

Carlos pounded James on the back. "Look at you!" he exclaimed.

"Told you!" Kendall grinned. "It's an all-A day!"

"Yeah!" James smiled. "I can't wait to show my parents."

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

"Bye James!" James waved to his friends, hanging out the windows of Mama Garcia's car, as he walked up the front walk of his house. Mama Garcia honked and he waved a final time before turning to enter his house.

He opened the front door, dropping his backpack next to the coat rack. It was around six thirty—they'd had hockey practice that evening—so both of his parents should be home. James clutched his biology test in his hand. He walked through the living room, heading to his father's office, expecting that his dad would be in there. He stopped when he heard low, tense voices.

"_I don't know what you expect me to do about it, Brooke, it's not my fault."_

"_I didn't say it was your fault, now you're putting words in my mouth, like always."_

"_Why do you always have to turn everything back on me?"_

"_Ben, you're the one who's made this into an argument!"_

"_See! You're doing it again!"_

"_God, Ben…"_

"_Don't 'God, Ben' me, not this time."_

James slowly backed away from the office door as the fight continued in slowly raising voices. So they were fighting again. Great. James sighed and looked down at his paper, with the circled 95 at the top.

"_What about James? How do you think he'll feel about this?"_

"_You know I don't want to disappoint him, but sometimes these things can't be helped!"_

Oh crap, there was his name being brought into it again. James gulped and went back to the front door, picking up his bag again. He opened the door, quietly, and then slammed it shut.

The voices stopped. "Mom?" James called, keeping the apprehension out of his voice. "Dad? You guys here?"

The door to the office immediately opened and his parents came out, their fake smiles in place. "Hi James," his mom greeted, planting a kiss on James' cheek. "How was your day?"

"It was actually pretty great," James said, trying his best to smile as he dropped his backpack again, keeping up the act of having just arrived. He held his science test out to her.

"What's that?" his dad asked.

"Oh James!" His mom gave him another kiss before handing the paper to James' dad.

"Well, look at that," Mr. Diamond smiled. "My kid, the science scholar, eh?"

"Well, I wouldn't say scholar," James said sheepishly. "Logan helped me study."

"This is great, kiddo," Mr. Diamond insisted. "I know that science isn't easy for you."

"I'm going to go get dinner started," Mrs. Diamond said, squeezing her son's shoulder before leaving towards the kitchen.

"So, how was the rest of your day, then?" Mr. Diamond asked, sitting down on the living room couch.

"Pretty great," James replied, sitting on the arm of the armchair. "Hockey practice was just…_awesome_. We're so gonna kick serious butt in the game tomorrow. Oh! And guess what!"

"What's that?" Mr. Diamond asked with a smile.

"Well, you know the choir concert coming up right?"

Mr. Diamond fidgeted almost nervously. "Yeah."

"Well, Mrs. Paul wants me to sing a solo—I'm singing _All I Want For Christmas Is You_." James grinned, barely containing his excitement. "I know that it doesn't seem really _cool _to sing in choir, but it's like the first step to becoming a pop star, right?"

"That's great, James. I'm proud of you." Mr. Diamond cleared his throat. "The concert is still in two weeks, right?"

"Yep, two weeks from today, 7:00 PM," James recited excitedly. "It's going to be really awesome, we're doing this awesome rendition of _Rockin Around The Christmas Tree_. Kendall got a solo in that, he's actually _really _good, I don't know why he didn't do choir in middle school. I was kinda surprised."

"James," Mr. Diamond interrupted, looking pretty serious. James stopped. Mr. Diamond leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and bringing his clasped hands up to his forehead for a moment before looking at James. "I'm not going to be able to be at the concert."

James felt his heart drop. "What? Why?"

"My boss wants me to go on a business trip that week—I'll be gone through that Sunday," Mr. Diamond explained. "I'm really sorry, James."

"But…I told you about this weeks ago!" James exclaimed. So that's what his parents had been arguing about. "I told you months ago and you said you wouldn't miss it for anything!"

"I know, but sometimes I don't have a choice," Mr. Diamond tried to explain, but was cut off.

"And you'll be gone through _Sunday_?" James continued. "I have a hockey game on that Saturday! You're gonna miss that too!"

"James, I tried my best, but I have to go. I'm sorry. Your mom or someone will tape them both for me, I'm sure."

"It's not the same!" James stood abruptly. "You're never there, Dad! You're always away on these business trips! I barely see you!"

"That's not fair, James," Mr. Diamond objected, standing as well. "I do my best to be at all of your hockey games."

"I don't care!" James shouted. He stalked off to the door, grabbing his backpack. "I'm going to Kendall's. His mom will take me to the game tomorrow."

"Now hold on a minute, young man, you don't just get to leave whenever you see fit."

"Watch me!" James exclaimed, slamming the front door on his way out. As he walked down the street, he kept thinking his father would come out after him. But he didn't.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

Shrieks of laughter were coming from the living room of the Knight home, as Kendall chased after his 9-year-old sister Katie. "Stop it!" she giggled, attempting to fight off her big brother as he grabbed her. "No! Kendall stop!"

Kendall mercilessly tickled his struggling sister, grinning himself. "Not until you tell me where you hid my Gameboy! C'mon, baby sister, give it up!"

Katie laughed. "No! Never! Stop! It tickles!" Mama Knight smiled as she peeked in through the kitchen door.

The phone started ringing then. "Okay, quiet down you two, I'm on the phone," Mama Knight called to the playing siblings as she went to answer it. The two Knight kids gradually stopped their laughing as Kendall finally released Katie, who produced his Gameboy from under a couch cushion.

"Hello?" Kendall heard his mother say as she picked up the phone. There was a knock at the back door, which Kendall immediately went towards. Only a few people came to the back door and they were always there for him. "Hi Brooke! …What?"

Kendall saw through the sliding door that it had just started snowing, and standing in that snow was James Diamond. Hurriedly, Kendall opened the door and let his best friend in. "Hey!" Kendall greeted.

Mama Knight came into the living room, holding the wireless phone in her hand. She saw James and sighed with relief. "Yes, he's here. Do you want me to send him home?" Kendall looked quizzically at James, who only cast a pleading gaze at Mama Knight.

"What's going on?" Kendall murmured to James, but got no answer.

Mama Knight nodded as she kept her firm gaze on James. "Uh huh…well if you're sure. Yeah, that's probably best…I know…you know I will. I'll get him to the game tomorrow…he can borrow Kendall's clothes. Gotcha. All right…call me if you need anything, Brooke." That last sentence was said in a lower tone, probably so James and Kendall wouldn't hear. "All right, honey. Bye." Mama Knight hung up the phone and then stood in the doorway, arms folded, sternly staring at James.

James looked at her with expectant wide eyes. "So…are you sending me home?"

"James, you can't just leave your house without your parents' permission," Mama Knight scolded. "Just because you're fifteen now doesn't make you an adult."

"I know, Mama Knight, it's just..." James trailed off as he gripped the straps of his backpack tightly. "My parents have been fighting again."

Mama Knight's gaze softened somewhat. "I got that impression," she murmured. "Well, your mom said you can stay here tonight."

"Thanks Mama Knight," James said, a smile finding its way to his face. Kendall lightly hit James's shoulder with the back of his hand and gestured for James to come up to Kendall's room. The two guys took off up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Dinner will be ready soon guys!" Mama Knight called after them. "Come help me, Katie."

In Kendall's room, James tossed his backpack into the corner and took a spot in one of the bean bag chairs as Kendall shut the door. Kendall threw himself onto the other bean bag and just raised an eyebrow at James. "They're fighting again?" Kendall asked.

James nodded. "Yeah," he said glumly. "But, I mean, I guess I've gotten used to that. That's not even really why I split today."

"Why then?" Kendall asked, propping himself up on his elbows to listen.

"My dad bailed on the choir concert."

"No way!" Kendall exclaimed. "He's just not going to come?"

"He said he has a business trip," James explained. "Which…I mean…I guess that's…I mean, it's not like I…I just wanted him to come, you know?"

"Yeah…" Kendall said.

"He's been to almost _every _single one of my hockey games since peewee hockey, but he's only been to two choir concerts since I joined in sixth grade. I feel like he always conveniently has a business trip."

"I'm sure it's not on purpose," Kendall insisted. "Your dad wouldn't do that."

"I don't think so either," James admitted. "I just…hate how he _keeps_ _letting me down._ You know?"

Kendall nodded and the guys sat there in silence for a while until Mama Knight called them down for dinner.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

James let out a shaky breath as he shook his hands out. Kendall gave him a look from the corner of his eye. "James, you all right, man?"

"Yeah!" James said, sounding cool. A bit too cool. He felt himself sweating a bit. "Okay, I'm a little nervous. It's the first time I've sung a solo. I'm a little freaked out."

"Dude, you're _awesome_," Carlos insisted in a hushed voice as they all arranged themselves on the risers behind the closed auditorium curtain. Logan nodded along on James's other side. "You're the best singer in this choir."

"Definitely better than me," Logan laughed. "Why did I let you guys convince me to join? I'm no singer. I'm going to be a doctor."

"We know!" Carlos, Kendall, and James all said tiredly at the same time. They were shushed immediately by their choir teacher Mrs. Paul.

"Anyway, you have nothing to worry about, James," Kendall insisted. "You've been practicing for weeks."

"Kendall," Mrs. Paul gestured. "You're down front to start, remember."

Kendall grinned at the other guys and took his spot by the microphone for his solo, next to the girl who sang the other solo in the song. James took a deep breath as the curtain rose.

While the opening music was playing, James smiled as he saw Kendall bobbing back and forth to the beat of the song. Kendall was such a natural onstage, it was crazy to think that he didn't share James's dream of stardom.

"_Rockin around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop,"_ Kendall sang smoothly into the mic. _"Mistletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop."_

James felt his nerves beginning again as the girl, some senior James didn't know very well, sang the next part of the verse. Kendall was so great. How could James even compare after him? He strained his eyes to see out into the audience as he ooh-ed in the background along with the rest of the choir as Kendall and senior-girl sang together. He could just barely make out his mother sitting between Mama Knight and Papa Garcia.

As they all began the chorus, he couldn't help but remember that his dad wasn't there tonight. Instead he was in Michigan, doing some…accountant business meeting thing or whatever he had to do. He wasn't there.

The song ended quickly. Way too quickly. As did the next one. And then Mrs. Paul was walking up to the mic.

"And now, for a special solo from one of our very talented freshman students, Mr. James Diamond." The audience clapped enthusiastically and James heard Papa Garcia whistle. With a deep breath, James made his way down to the mic…

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

Mr. Diamond turned to his son and smiled, clapping him on the shoulder as the audience burst into applause on the television. James smiled back at his dad and turned back to the TV screen, watching the small version of himself take a bow and make his way back up the risers.

"You're a talented kid, James, you know that?" Mr. Diamond commented. "I wouldn't be surprised if that pop star dream of yours actually came true someday."

"Thanks Dad," James thanked. He knew his father was being honest. But it felt so wrong that his dad hadn't been there for the actual performance. He wished he had been there.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

"_I know that you're seeing someone else, Ben, I can just tell!"_

"_Brooke, you're crazy."_

"_Don't call me crazy, Ben Diamond, I know what you're like! My mother was right—all of you Diamond men are the same. All dogs!"_

James stared at the ceiling as he lay in bed. It was now January—school had just started up again after Christmas break. This was mainly how the break had gone. His parents fighting had grown from a normal, regular occurrence to a _constant _thing. Sometimes it seemed like the yelling just went on all day long. Either that or they ignored each other entirely, stony silences and angry looks over dinner. James took every opportunity he could to escape to his friends' houses—he was even happy that school had started again, if it meant getting out of the house for seven hours a day.

This fight was a little different.

"_I FOUND HER LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR!"_

"_You're going to wake James!" _

It got quieter for a few minutes. James felt his heartbeat quickening. He couldn't believe what was happening. He slipped out of bed. Tiptoeing down the hall, he got to his parents' closed bedroom door and stood outside of it, so he could better hear.

"_Try lying to me again, Ben. I dare you. Try. It."_

"_Brooke…Brooke, I-."_

"_You what? You what, Ben?"_

"_All right. Fine. I'm seeing someone else. Happy?"_

"_Happy? HAPPY?! YOU ASK ME IF I'M HAPPY?!"_

"_Brooke, you're insane—Brooke, are you crazy?! Put that down!"_

James heard something smash and his eyes widened. His instincts took over and, without thinking, yanked open the door and stepped inside.

There was his dad, on one side of the room. The remnants of a glass vase were scattered around the floor, clearly having been thrown at the wall—possibly where his father had been standing previously. His mother stood on the opposite side of the bed, looking in a blind rage. But both parents immediately reacted to James walking in the room.

"James," Mrs. Diamond breathed, her fury fading from her face and being replaced by the horror of seeing her son in the room.

"James, what are you doing up?" Mr. Diamond asked. Had the _nerve _to ask.

His hands shaking with anger and some fear, James took a step further into the room. "Is it really true?" he whispered. "You're…you're _cheating _on Mom?"

Mr. Diamond looked, wide-eyed, from James to Mrs. Diamond and back. "James, go back to bed, son."

"Don't tell me to go back to bed!" James snapped. "You think it's possible to sleep in this damn house anymore? I haven't had a decent night's sleep in days because you guys are fighting till all hours of the morning!"

"James, honey," Mrs. Diamond said. "I'm sorry that you're suffering because of this. It won't be going on much longer. I didn't want you to find out this way…" She gave a hard look at Mr. Diamond. "I'm filing for a divorce."

"You're what?" Mr. Diamond exclaimed.

James just shook his head, looking between his two parents with a half-sad, half-angry expression on his face. This was unbelievable. "God, why don't you two just fight this out. I'll be…somewhere else."

"It's past eleven!" Mrs. Diamond started to object.

"You know, maybe it's better if he slept somewhere else tonight," Mr. Diamond said.

James wasn't waiting for approval. He had already gone back to his room, shoving random articles of clothing into his backpack and throwing it on, not bother to change from his pajamas. He shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed his coat, hurrying out the front door.

The ground was covered in freshly fallen snow. The cold air bit at James's face and quickly made him aware how very threadbare his plaid pajama pants were. He zipped up his heavy coat over his green thermal shirt and shoved his hands in his pockets.

He walked through the streets, passing Kendall's house and then Carlos's ten minutes later. After twenty minutes of walking and freezing, he came to the small, two-story Mitchell home. The light was on in Logan's bedroom window upstairs. James pulled out his cell, noticing a couple of ignored texts from his mom, pressing speed dial 5—Logan.

After two rings, Logan picked up. "Hello?" he murmured, sounding tired, but not like he had been asleep, luckily.

"I'm outside," James said. "Let me in?"

The phone line cut off and James saw Logan peer out the blinds of the window before disappearing. A few seconds later, the front door opened and James hurried inside, shaking snow out of his hair and off his sleeves.

"Jesus, James, what are you doing?" Logan hissed, looking over his shoulder to make sure that they hadn't disturbed his mom. "It's freezing outside!"

"I know, I was just out there," James said through chattering teeth, pulling off his wet shoes and coat.

They went upstairs quickly to Logan's unnaturally tidy bedroom. Logan tossed James a blanket, which James gratefully wrapped himself in. A thick textbook was open on Logan's desk and he had obviously been studying, but he showed no signs of even remotely planning on returning to that. "What's going on James?" he asked.

James started to answer, but felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out to see a message from Kendall.

FROM: Kendall K.

TO: James D.

ur mom jst called my mom wanting to no where u were. did u run away again? where r u?

James started to type a response, but then received another message—this one from Carlos.

FROM: Carlos G.

TO: James D.

JAMES. my mami jst woke me up wanting to no if u were here. r u missing again? bro, call ur mom.

Groaning, James went to call his mother, and found the line busy. Just as he hung up the phone, he found out why. The bedroom door opened and Mama Mitchell came in. When she saw James there, she put her hand on her heart, closed her eyes, and gave a sigh of relief.

"_Yes, _Brooke, he's here," she said into her cell phone. "He's fine. He's fine. Okay. Do you want me to bring him home?" Mama Mitchell's eyes widened. "Okay. No, I'll take him in tomorrow, that's fine…yeah, it's probably for the best. Mhm. Call me if you need me hon. Okay. Bye." Mama Mitchell hung up the phone and then glared at James.

"Young man, do you know how worried your mother was?" she scolded. "You've got to stop pulling this disappearing act on her. This is the fifth time she's had to call around to all of us to find out where you are. Plus, it's _snowing _outside, you could have gotten frostbite."

"Well maybe if she'd stop having screaming fights with my dad in the middle of the night, I wouldn't have to take off so often," James snapped. He immediately felt guilty. He'd never snapped at any of his moms before. "Sorry, Mama Mitchell."

Mama Mitchell didn't seem angry. "It's okay, James. You'll stay here tonight…your mom let me know…what was happening."

"What happened?" Logan asked, looking so confused.

Mama Mitchell glanced from James to Logan and back. She sighed. "You boys get some sleep all right?" she said, as she stepped back into the hallway, her hand on the doorknob. "No video games, no TV."

"Okay Mom," Logan replied, still looking at James with an expectant look.

"Thanks Mama Mitchell," James murmured, casting his eyes downward. Mama Mitchell pulled the door shut. As they heard her footsteps fading off down the hall and then her bedroom door close, Logan sat next to James on the bed.

"They're fighting again, huh?" Logan asked.

James nodded, but then shook his head. "It's worse," he whispered, staring at his feet in one white and one black sock. "They're…they're splitting up. Mom said she's filing for a divorce."

Logan inhaled deeply and nodded. "That's why you came here," he said simply.

Another simple nod from James. "You're the only one who knows what it's like, Logan. Your parents are divorced." Not only were they divorced, Logan's father had moved several states away, to Colorado.

"Yeah I know," Logan chuckled. He hesitated and sighed. "James, it sucks. I'm not gonna lie to you. It totally and completely sucks."

"As much as it sucks to have them screaming at each other all the time?" James asked. "My mom _threw a glass vase _at my dad tonight."

Logan's jaw dropped open. "Holy crap. Did she hit him?"

"No, thankfully." James then remembered _why _his mom had thrown the vase. "Or maybe I wish she had hit him. Maybe he deserved it."

"James, you don't mean that," Logan told him. "You're just resentful because they're breaking up, but you love your dad."

"He's cheating on her." The words flew out of James's mouth in a plain monotone. Logan's eyes widened. "Yeah. He's cheating. He's _cheating_."

"James, I…" Logan couldn't seem to find words. "I don't…I mean…"

"I know," James sighed. "Does it get easier after they break up?"

Logan fidgeted. "I don't know," he confessed. "It's like…I don't have to deal with them fighting anymore, but now I don't have them both, you know? I barely see my dad." He looked at James. "I'm sorry. I'm not helping."

"Not really," James chuckled humorlessly. "It's cool. I'll be fine."

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

"_Was he at your place last night?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Why'd he go to your house? Mine's closer."_

"_Even mine's closer."  
_

"_He needed to talk about…stuff."_

James slammed his gym locker shut. It was seven fifteen, and they were already at the rink for a before-school hockey practice. The other three guys were huddled together some distance away, talking about him. It was like they thought he couldn't hear them.

"You know I'm right here, right?" James called to them. They all looked guilty. "Basically, my parents are getting a divorce and I wanted to talk to Logan because he's the one with divorced parents, okay?"

Carlos gasped and Logan nudged him. "That's awful!" Carlos blurted.

Kendall shushed him. "Is there anything we can do?" he asked tentatively.

"Nah," James said, grabbing his skates and walking towards the locker room door. "I'm over it already. No more fighting, no more sleepless nights…it's all over."

The other three guys exchanged a wide-eyed look. They could all tell—James was _far _from over it.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

James zoomed down the ice, his stick on the ice, cradling the puck. He could see the goal. He was close. He was going to make this goal.

_BAM_. Someone _attempted _to check James. _Attempted_, because James at the last possible second saw them coming and braced himself. Still, in doing so, he accidently picked his stick up and let the puck slip away, someone else getting it and taking off with it towards the opposite goal.

Something inside of James snapped. He turned to his attacker, who was already starting to turn to follow after the puck. James dropped his stick and shoved the guy.

Henry Philips was who it was. He was a junior and one of the star players. He and James had always been friendly with each other, so he was shocked to say the least. "What the hell?" he shouted through his mouth guard, shoving James back, but James had grabbed hold of him and it broke into a scuffle that eventually landed them both on the ice, James's head bouncing hard—luckily protected by his helmet, but still that hurt.

Coach's whistle pierced the air and guys were coming out to where James and Henry were scrapping it out. James felt himself being yanked away from Henry. "James cool it!" Someone shouted at him. Kendall. Kendall had pulled him away. Logan and Carlos were restraining Henry. They had all been the first ones to the fighting guys.

"What the hell is this all about, Diamond?" Coach shouted as he walked over to the mob on the ice, sliding a little in his boots.

"I didn't even get you, man!" Henry complained, shaking Logan and Carlos off and pulling off his helmet.

James pulled off his as well. His hands were shaking as he realized how he had totally lost it. "I…" he gulped. "I just…sorry, I just reacted I guess."

"Well, Diamond, you react that way in a game and you're gonna get yourself kicked out!" Coach yelled. "You're benched for the rest of practice!"

With a shaky breath, James shook off Kendall's hand that was still gripping his upper arm and skated off the ice.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

"Again, Mr. Diamond?" the secretary moaned wearily. James gave a cheeky grin and waved his pink pass in the air with false enthusiasm. With a groan, the secretary got up and went through the door to the offices as James took a seat in one of the hard waiting chairs.

It had been a month now since his mother had announced her divorce plan. She hadn't been joking either—the Diamonds were currently going through _all _of the stereotypical divorce things—battling over long-cherished family items, the house, the cat, and—of course—James. They both wanted full custody and refused to settle for anything. They spent all of their time—when they weren't in meetings with lawyers or yelling at each other over stupid things—buttering James up to get him to choose in their favor.

The secretary came back out. "She'll see you now," she told him, gesturing and holding the door for him. James grabbed his backpack and, avoiding looking the secretary in the eyes, strode back to the office that had become familiar.

Principal Evans was sitting at her desk, her hands clasped in front of her. "Please sit down, James," she told him as he walked in. Wordlessly, James handed her the slip and sat down in the chair across from her, dropping his backpack at his feet.

She gave the sheet a once-over and set it to the side. "James, what's going on with you?" Principal Evans asked. "This is the fourth time this month that you've been sent to me for mouthing off to your teachers. Using profanity in a classroom? It's not all right James."

"Sorry," James mumbled, staring at the ground, his hands shoved in his jacket pocket.

"James, look at me." James looked up into his principal's face. She had a concerned expression. "I know you're a good kid. You used to be one of the most polite boys in this school. But lately, you've been acting out. I've even heard that you skipped choir the other day."

"Didn't feel like singing," James said with a shrug.

"James, is something going on at home?" Principal Evans asked. "Family troubles?"

James's heart skipped a beat and he hesitated, glancing down at the ground again. Principal Evans just waited. James sighed. "My parents are getting a divorce," he mumbled.

Principal Evans was silent for a minute. "I'm sorry to hear that, James," she finally said. "But you do know that, no matter the frustrations you're going through at home, your behavior isn't acceptable."

"I know," James admitted. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"I know you are, James, but unfortunately I can't just let it slide." Principal Evans wrote out a detention slip and handed it to James. "After school today." James took it and went to leave the office. "And James, if you're having problems with your parents…you should probably talk to them about it," she advised. She gave him an encouraging smile. "They're your parents. They don't want to hurt you."

"Easier said than done," James murmured under his breath as he left the office.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

"Detention, James? Really?" James slouched in the front seat of his mom's car as they pulled away from the school. Since he'd had to go to detention today, he'd had to call his mom to pick him up rather than ride with his friends in Mama Knight's car.

"Sorry," he mumbled. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately.

"James, I don't understand what this behavior is all about," Mrs. Diamond went on. "You've been surly all the time, acting up in school, your grades—which were finally improving—are falling again."

"I know."

The rest of the car ride was silence.

When they pulled up into the driveway of their house, James felt his heart drop to see his dad's car there. "Dad's here," he mumbled.

"Unfortunately, he's picking up a few things," Mrs. Diamond explained as she got out of the car. "A _few _things. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to sneak some extra things out."

"Oh my God, Mom," James groaned under his breath slamming his car door.

"Excuse me?" James tried to ignore his mother and he headed for the door. He heard the impatient, quick clicking of her heels along the concrete path as she followed behind him. "James Diamond, you stop this minute and talk to me!"

"What do you want to talk about?" James exclaimed, opening the door and walking inside, dropping his bag and taking off his coat.

"Your _behavior, _young man! It's becoming inexcusable! What's going on with you?"

James threw his coat on the floor, just as his father came into the room. "What's going on?! How can you even have the nerve to _ask _that, Mom?"

"James, what's wrong?" his dad asked, glancing wide-eyed from mother to son.

James whirled around to face his father. "What's _wrong_?" he shouted. "How can you not realize what's wrong? My parents hate each other because my father _cheated_ and now they're splitting up and they're both trying to get me to choose between them and _I just can't do it_! I feel like if you guys could split me in half, you would! I already feel like I'm split in half! I don't want to deal with this anymore!" James stood there, looking between his parents, breathing heavily after his emotional tirade.

"James…" his mother started to say, reaching out to him, but James pulled away. "James, I'm sorry. We didn't know…we didn't know we were making you feel this way."

"Son, we only want what's best for you," his father added.

"You guys fighting and calling each other names isn't what's best for me," James murmured. "Neither is making me pick between you. I want both of you. I don't want to be like Logan, who only sees his dad once a month. It's stupid. You're not moving far away, are you Dad?"

"No, I'm moving to Minneapolis, to be closer to work," Mr. Diamond said. "It's only about a half hours drive."

"See," James said. "Why do I have to choose between the two of you?"

His parents didn't answer. After a few minutes, James sighed. "I'm not going to choose. I can't. Don't ask me to." With that, James turned and went to his room.

~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~BTR~~~~~~

A few weeks later, on a Saturday, James was celebrating the victory of the hockey game his team had just won. He'd stayed over at Carlos's the night before—he'd spent a lot of nights away from home since his parents had started their divorce process—so Mama Garcia had brought him to the game.

His mother, however, had decided she wanted James to come home immediately with her, rather than go out with his teammates. James reluctantly said goodbye to everyone and went with her.

His father's car was at their house again. He'd been at the game, but had left as soon as Mrs. Diamond had finished talking to the other moms. James hadn't expected to see him again that day, but there he was, sitting on the living room couch. "What's going on?" James asked suspiciously.

"Do you remember that last night we had a meeting with the lawyers?" Mrs. Diamond asked, taking a seat in the armchair.

"Yeah, of course," James said, leaning his hockey stick against the wall.

"Well, we came to a custody agreement," Mr. Diamond said. "We're going to have joint custody of you."

James, shocked, felt his eyes widen. "I thought you were both against that idea?"

"Well, let's just say, we decided that it should be what's best for you…and not us," his mom said, sharing a look with his dad.

"You'll spend most of your time here, with Mom, to be closer to the school," his dad explained. "You'll spend most weekends with me at my new apartment in Minneapolis."

"One month of summer with me, one month of summer with Dad," his mom continued. "Holidays are split up, but we can explain those as we get to them."

"Mom, Dad," James said. "This is…well, it's not great, obviously, but…it's great, thanks. Thanks so much." He hugged his mom, then his dad.

"We don't want you to ever feel like you're being split in half, James," his dad said. "If you ever start to feel like you did before…you have to let us know."

"Even though we've decided that we can't be together as a couple," his mom continued. "We'll always have to be your parents together. And we love you, and we only want what's best for you."

James smiled. "I know."

"And this might be frustrating at times, but I think in the end it'll really turn out okay," his dad commented.

"I do too," James agreed. Then he laughed. "Besides, maybe I'll become a pop star and I'll move to LA and the custody arrangements won't matter at all!"

He and his parents shared a nice laugh—something that hadn't happened in a while.

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